Section I - Authenticity of the Chapter To the authenticity of this chapter, as to the preceding, objections and difficulties have been urged, sufficient, in the view of the objectors, to destroy its credibility as a historical narrative. Those objections, which may be seen at length in Bertholdt ... [ Continue Reading ]
NEBUCHADNEZZAR THE KING, UNTO ALL PEOPLE ... - The Syriac here has, “Nebuchadnezzar the king wrote to all people, etc.” Many manuscripts in the Chaldee have שׁלח _shâlach_, “sent,” and some have כתב _k__e__thab_, “wrote;” but neither of these readings are probably genuine, nor are they necessary. T... [ Continue Reading ]
I THOUGHT IT GOOD - Margin, “it was seemly before me.” The marginal reading is more in accordance with the original (קדמי שׁפר _sh__e__phar_ _qâdâmay_). The proper meaning of the Chaldee word (שׁפר _sh__e__phar_) is, to be fair or beautiful; and the sense here is, that it seemed to him to be appro... [ Continue Reading ]
HOW GREAT ARE HIS SIGNS! - How great and wonderful are the things by which he makes himself known in this manner! The allusion is doubtless to what had occurred to himself - the event by which a monarch of such state and power had been reduced to a condition so humble. With propriety he would regard... [ Continue Reading ]
I NEBUCHADNEZZAR WAS AT REST - Some manuscripts in the Greek add here, “In the eighteenth year of his reign Nebuchadnezzar said.” These words, however, are not in the Hebrew, and are of no authority. The word rendered “at rest” (שׁלה _sh__e__lēh_) means, to be secure; to be free from apprehension o... [ Continue Reading ]
I SAW A DREAM - That is, he saw a representation made to him in a dream. There is something incongruous in our language in saying of one that he saw a dream. WHICH MADE ME AFRAID - The fear evidently arose from the apprehension that it was designed to disclose some important and solemn event. This w... [ Continue Reading ]
THEREFORE MADE I A DECREE - The word here rendered decree (טעם _ṭ__e__‛êm_) means, commonly, “taste, flavor,” as of wine; then “judgment, discernment, reason;” and then a judgment of a king, a mandate, edict. Compare Daniel 3:10. The primary notion seems to be that of a delicate “taste” enabling o... [ Continue Reading ]
THEN CAME IN THE MAGICIANS ... - All the words occurring here are found in Daniel 2:2, and are explained in the note at that verse, except the word rendered “soothsayers.” This occurs in Daniel 2:27. See it explained in the note at that verse. All these words refer to the same general class of perso... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT AT THE LAST - After the others had shown that they could not interpret the dream. Why Daniel was not called with the others does not appear; nor is it said in what manner he was at last summoned into the presence of the king. It is probable that his skill on a former occasion Daniel 2 was rememb... [ Continue Reading ]
O BELTESHAZZAR, MASTER OF THE MAGICIANS - “Master,” in the sense that he was first among them, or was superior to them all. Or, perhaps, he still retained office at the head of this class of men - the office to which he had been appointed when he interpreted the former dream, Daniel 2:48. The word r... [ Continue Reading ]
THUS WERE THE VISIONS OF MY HEAD IN MY BED - These are the things which I saw upon my bed. When he says that they were the “visions of his head,” he states a doctrine which was then doubtless regarded as the truth, that the head is the seat of thought. I SAW - Margin, “was seeing.” Chaldee, “seeing... [ Continue Reading ]
THE TREE GREW - Or the tree was “great” - רבה _r__e__bâh_. It does not mean that the tree grew while he was looking at it so as to reach to the heaven, but that it stood before him in all its glory, its top reaching to the sky, and its branches extending afar. AND WAS STRONG - It was well-proporti... [ Continue Reading ]
THE LEAVES THEREOF WERE FAIR - Were beautiful. That is, they were abundant, and green, and there were no signs of decay. Everything indicated a vigorous and healthy growth - a tree in its full beauty and majesty - a striking emblem of a monarch in his glory. AND THE FRUIT THEREOF MUCH - It was load... [ Continue Reading ]
I SAW IN THE VISIONS OF MY HEAD UPON MY BED - In the visions that passed before me as I lay upon my bed, Daniel 4:10. AND, BEHOLD, A WATCHER AND AN HOLY ONE - Or rather, perhaps, “even a holy one;” or, “who was a holy one.” He evidently does not intend to refer to two beings, a “watcher,” and “one w... [ Continue Reading ]
HE CRIED ALOUD - Margin, as in the Chaldee, “with might.” That is, he cried with a strong voice. HEW DOWN THE TREE - This command does not appear to have been addressed to any particular ones who were to execute the commission, but it is a strong and significant way of saying that it would certainl... [ Continue Reading ]
NEVERTHELESS, LEAVE THE STUMP OF HIS ROOTS IN THE EARTH - As of a tree that is not wholly dead, but which may send up suckers and shoots again. See the note at Isaiah 11:1. In Theodotion this is, τὴν φυήν τῶν ῥιξῶν _tēn_ _phuēn_ _tōn_ _rizōn_ - the nature, germ. Schleusner renders the Greek... [ Continue Reading ]
LET HIS HEART BE CHANGED FROM MAN’S, AND LET A BEAST’S HEART BE GIVEN UNTO HIM - Here the same thing occurs in a more marked form, showing that some man was represented by the vision, and indicating some change which was fitted to attract the deepest attention - as if the person referred to should c... [ Continue Reading ]
THIS MATTER IS BY THE DECREE OF THE WATCHERS - See the notes at Daniel 4:13. They are described here not only as watching over the affairs of men, but as entrusted wth the execution of high and important designs of God. The representation is, that one of these heavenly beings was seen by Nebuchadnez... [ Continue Reading ]
THIS DREAM I KING NEBUCHADNEZZAR HAVE SEEN - This is the dream which I saw. He had detailed it at length as it appeared to him, without pretending to be able to explain it. FORASMUCH AS ALL THE WISE MEN OF MY KINGDOM ... - Daniel 4:7. BUT THOU ART ABLE ... - See the notes at Daniel 4:9.... [ Continue Reading ]
THEN DANIEL, WHOSE NAME WAS BELTESHAZZAR - Daniel 4:8. It has been objected that the mention in this edict of “both” the names by which Daniel was known is an improbable circumstance; that a pagan monarch would only have referred to him by the name by which he was known in Babylon - the name which h... [ Continue Reading ]
THE TREE THAT THOU SAWEST ... - In these two verses Daniel refers to the leading circumstances respecting the tree as it appeared in the dream, without any allusion as yet to the order to cut it down. He probably designed to show that he had clearly understood what had been said, or that he had atte... [ Continue Reading ]
IT IS THOU, O KING - It is a representation of thyself. Compare Daniel 2:38. THAT ART GROWN AND BECOME STRONG - Referring to the limited extent of his dominion when he came to the throne, and the increase of his power by a wise administration and by conquest. FOR THY GREATNESS IS GROWN - The majes... [ Continue Reading ]
AND WHEREAS THE KING SAW A WATCHER ... - See the note at Daniel 4:13. The recapitulation in this verse is slightly varied from the statement in Daniel 4:14, still so as not materially to affect the sense. Daniel seems to have designed to recal the principal circumstances in the dream, so as to ident... [ Continue Reading ]
THIS IS THE DECREE OF THE MOST HIGH - Daniel here designs evidently to direct the attention of the monarch to the one living and true God, and to show him that he presides over all. The purpose of the vision was, in a most impressive way, to convince the king of his existence and sovereignty. Hence,... [ Continue Reading ]
THAT THEY SHALL DRIVE THEE FROM MEN - That is, thou shalt be driven from the habitations of men; from the place which thou hast occupied among men. The prophet does not say “who” would do this, but he says that it “would” be done. The language is such as would be used of one who should become a mani... [ Continue Reading ]
AND WHEREAS THEY COMMANDED - The watchers, Daniel 4:15. Compare Daniel 4:17. TO LEAVE THE STUMP OF THE TREE ROOTS - Or, to leave roots to the stump of the tree; that is, it was not to be dug up, or wholly destroyed, but vitality was to be left in the ground. The Chaldee here is the same as in Danie... [ Continue Reading ]
WHEREFORE, O KING, LET MY COUNSEL BE ACCEPTABLE UNTO THEE - Daniel was permitted to see not only the fact that this calamity impended over the king, but the cause of it, and as that cause was his proud and sinful heart, he supposed that the judgment might be averted if the king would reform his life... [ Continue Reading ]
ALL THIS CAME UPON THE KING NEBUCHADNEZZAR - That is, the threatened judgment came upon him in the form in which it was predicted. He did not repent and reform his life as he was exhorted to, and, having given him sufficient time to show whether he was disposed to follow the counsel of Daniel, God s... [ Continue Reading ]
AT THE END OF TWELVE MONTHS - After the dream, and the interpretation - giving him ample opportunity to repent, and to reform his life, and to avoid the calamity. HE WALKED IN THE PALACE - Margin, “upon.” The margin is the more correct rendering. The roofs of houses in the East are made flat, and f... [ Continue Reading ]
THE KING SPAKE AND SAID - The Chaldee, and the Greek of Theodotion and of the Codex Chisianus here is, “the king answered and said:” perhaps he replied to some remark made by his attendants in regard to the magnitude of the city; or perhaps the word “answered” is used, as it often seems to be in the... [ Continue Reading ]
WHILE THE WORD WAS IN THE KING’S MOUTH - In the very act of speaking - thus showing that there could be no doubt as to the connection between the crime and the punishment. THERE FELL A VOICE FROM HEAVEN - There came a voice; or, perhaps, it seemed to fall as a thunderbolt. It was uttered above him,... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THEY SHALL DRIVE THEE FROM MEN ... - See the note at Daniel 4:25.... [ Continue Reading ]
THE SAME HOUR WAS THE THING FULFILLED - On the word hour, see the note at Daniel 4:19. The use of the word here would seem to confirm the suggestion there made that it means a brief period of time. The idea is clearly that it was done instantly. The event came suddenly upon him, without any interval... [ Continue Reading ]
AND AT THE END OF THE DAYS - That is, the time designated; to wit, the “seven times” that were to pass over him. I NEBUCHADNEZZAR LIFTED UP MINE EYES UNTO HEAVEN - Probably the first thing that indicated returning reason. It would not be unnatural, on the supposition that he was deprived of reason a... [ Continue Reading ]
AND ALL THE INHABITANTS OF THE EARTH ARE REPUTED AS NOTHING - Are regarded as nothing in comparison with him. Compare Isaiah 40:15, note 17, note. Precisely the same sentiment occurs in Isaiah which is expressed here: “All nations before him are as nothing; and they are accounted unto him less than... [ Continue Reading ]
AT THE SAME TIME MY REASON RETURNED UNTO ME - Showing that he regarded himself as having been insane. AND FOR THE GLORY OF MY KINGDOM - That is, his restoration to the exercise of his reason contributed to the glory of his kingdom, either by the acts of justice and beneficence which he intended sho... [ Continue Reading ]
NOW I NEBUCHADNEZZAR PRAISE AND EXTOL AND HONOR THE KING OF HEAVEN - Compare Daniel 2:47, and Daniel 4:1. He felt himself called on, in this public manner, to acknowledge the true God, with whose supremacy he had been made acquainted in so affecting a manner; to “praise” him that he had preserved hi... [ Continue Reading ]